


Soft Kitty

by willneverbeordinary



Series: Linkitty [2]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Comfort, Cuddling, Kitten!Link, M/M, Massage, Non-Sexual, Pining Rhett, Stubborn Link, kitten play, linkitty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 15:02:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13460730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/willneverbeordinary/pseuds/willneverbeordinary
Summary: Link gets angry and Rhett tries to find ways to help Link calm down. Getting Link to be a kitten again may or may not go over well.





	Soft Kitty

Link slams both fist against his office table and yells at his laptop screen.

“Hey!” Rhett’s voice comes from behind him.

Link slams his fist down a few more times.

“Cut it out, man!”

“Screw you!” Link spits and spins around in his chair.

Rhett quirks an eyebrow at him. Link throws a pen at Rhett's chest. The pen hits and falls with a clatter to the floor.

Rhett looks at it and slowly looks back up at Link.

“You done?”

“No, I'm not done. If you had done your damn job I wouldn't be angry into the first place so don't act like-- like you're all better than me or something.”

He sees Rhett heave a sigh. Sharp, heavy inhale through the nose, long exhale through the mouth.

Link's fingers twitch and he tightens his fists. His muscles are wind too tightly around his bones, his head is filled with too much pressure.

“Why don't you go take a nap?”

Link lets out a huff of mock laughter. “Why don't you not tell me what to do when you're the one who screwed up?”

“Go take a nap, let me fix it.”

Link throws his hands up. “You know what, Rhett? You fix your damn mess and I don't want to fucking see you until it's done.”

He gets up and there is too much force in the way his feet hit the floor and too much tension in the way his hands grab the ladder as he climbs to their office’s nap loft. He kicks his shoes off and falls face first into the bed. He hits the mattress, kicks his legs, and screams into the pillow.

The anger still sloshes around inside. It settles around his shoulders and it seeps between his vertebrates. Link clenches his jaw and tires to take deep breaths in and exhale slowly. It all comes out as sharp hisses.

It's not long before he hears footsteps and Rhett's head pokes up through the floor. Link throws him a glance and turns around onto his side, his back to Rhett.

Footsteps across the floor.

The bed dips.

A warm hand presses against his waist and the heat of it colors his body like paint in clear water. It swirls and spreads.

Link lets out a sigh.

“I fixed it. You're right, it was my mistake. I'm an idiot.”

Link shuffles around and faces Rhett. “No. I'm sorry. You're not an idiot, Rhett.”

Rhett gives him a half smile.

“You’re  _not_ an idiot. It was your fault!” Link points at him and Rhett gives a low chuckle. “But I shouldn't get so angry.”

“Do you feel better?”

Link looks at Rhett, watches Rhett's gaze swoop over his body and return to his face. There's a frown on Rhett's face.

“No,” Link says.

“Want a massage?”

“No!”

“Hey! Why not?” Rhett's brow furrows even more.

Link half sits up. “Because it's weird!”

“It's not weird! How is it weird? What? Because I'm a guy? Come on, Link, that's really–”

“No, you jerk,” Link cuts him off, “because it's unprofessional. You don't just give your co-workers massages, come on, what's wrong with you?”

Rhett chews on his lip. “But we're not co-workers. This is our business. We're partners.”

“ _Business_ partners.”

Rhett keeps looking at him with a frown and Link rolls his eyes.

“You know what? Fine. I have a– like a tension headache? So like, maybe massage my temples?”

Rhett's frown immediately disappears. “Yeah, sure. Come on, sit up.”

Link sits as Rhett moves behind his back. An open palm to Link's chest gently tugs him backwards until he relaxes and leans back against Rhett.

“Hey, it's like the baby bear cuddle pose!”

“Mhm. Don't talk.”

“Why not?”

“What do you mean 'why not’? Because you're not a professional cuddler and your not my wife.”

There is a huff of breath and Rhett's voice is slightly higher, slightly whiny. “Why can't you be more okay with this?”

“Why can't you shut up?”

Link listens to Rhett grumble but give no response and Link closes his eyes and tries to let go of the tension in his shoulders.

Rhett's fingertips move in steady circles against his temples and there is a soft heat that blooms in Link's chest. His bones no longer threaten to break underneath the tight tension of annoyance and his head isn't wrapped in a steel band. He feels his lips tug into a smile and he drops his head back against Rhett's shoulder. He lets out a soft sigh.

“Oh, gosh.”

The tone of Rhett's voice poisons the well and Link's thoughts go murky again. “What?”

There is a chuckle. “You just– you just moaned, man!”

“So?”

“I feel like I need to– I should put a pillow between us or something.”

Link sits up and pushes Rhett's hands away.

“Hey, I'm sorry!”

“Whatever.”

Link looks at his hand on the bed. He looks at Rhett's hand. They're only a few inches apart.

“I'm sorry,” Rhett says.

Link looks up. Rhett is looking at him with pleading eyes.

“Why do you do that? I don't get it!”

“I don't know,” Rhett mumbles and ducks his head. He picks at the bedding.

Link looks at Rhett toying with the sheet. After a while Rhett looks up at him.

“I have an idea,” Rhett says.

Link presses his lips together. He counts to five. Then he lets out a heavy breath. “Fine.”

Rhett lights up and bounds off the bed. He disappears down the ladder and Link can hear him rummaging around in a desk drawer. When he returns he is hiding something behind his back and he's biting his lip, smiling at Link.

The bed bounces when Rhett drops his weight on it. Link looks at his friend, waiting.

“Ta-da!” Rhett pulls the fluffy, orange, cat tail costume piece from behind his back.

Link stares at it. “Are you fucking serious?”

“What?”

“No.”

“Oh. But you– I thought you liked being a cat.”

“Are you making fun of me? Because I wore that and fell asleep?”

“No! No, man! I just thought it would like, be relaxing to pretend to be a pet.”

Link looks at Rhett until Rhett ducks his head and drops the tail on the bed.

“What? I would be your pet? _Really?_ ”

“No, just _a_ pet.”

“Pets have owners.”

He thinks he can see Rhett twitch when he says that.

“I didn't mean it like that, gah!” Rhett says. “Listen, it's a real thing and it's okay. You don't have to be a cat. But it's just a way to help take your mind off work.”

Link picks the tail up and lets it brush against his cheek. It's soft and ticklish and he smiles. There's still annoyance crawling underneath his skin but the fuzzy fabric soothes it. He blinks his eyes open to find Rhett looking at him with a soft smile. Link smiles back.

“Okay,” falls from Link's lips and he lies back down on the bed. He keeps playing with the tail and lets his eyes close again.

Rhett's hand touches his side. Strong fingers curl around his ribs and Link shifts to his side. The touch is firm as it slides down his side and grabs his waist before continuing to his hip. Then Rhett's hand moves and gentle fingers scratch at the nape of Link's neck and he lets out a soft noise. The bed dips and Link feels the scant few inches between his back and Rhett's chest. He feels Rhett's body heat and warm breaths against his neck. He tucks his legs in towards his stomach and curl his back. He bumps into Rhett and is immediately hugged close with an arm wrapped tightly across his chest.

“Link,” Rhett breathes; just a soft exhale into Link's hair.

Link responds with a 'meow’.

Rhett's fingers press into Link's ribs and relax again. Link tries to keep his ribcage from overflowing and tires to keep the air in his lungs from spilling out over his lips too quickly or too shakily. He makes a tiny purring noise and flinches at himself but Rhett's hand moves to gently rub down his sternum and belly. There is a warmth in that spreads from there and laces through his veins. Rhett's hand pauses, pressed against his chest, and Link feels his own heart strain to meet the touch. Fluttery beats of something wanting to soar.

“Your heart is beating really fast,” Rhett says.

Link says nothing. He looks down at the hand still pressed to his chest. He looks at his own hand tucked underneath his chin. It takes a few seconds until he covers Rhett's hand with his. Rhett makes a soft, humming noise in response.

Link just holds on.


End file.
